How to Find and Replace Straight Quotes with Curly Quotes in Word
Question details
The user needs to find only straight apostrophes and quotation marks in a Word document and replace them with curly (smart) quotes without altering existing curly punctuation or incorrectly formatting omitted initial letters.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Fixing inconsistent punctuation marks and formatting text properly throughout a document.
- Observed behavior
- The user must target specific straight quote characters specifically without disrupting the existing formatting of smart quotes and special apostrophe uses.
Ensure that the 'Straight quotes with smart quotes' AutoFormat setting is enabled in your word processor's settings so that the replacement characters are automatically curled.
Use Special Character Codes in Find and Replace
Target straight single and double quotation marks accurately using specific ASCII character codes in the Find and Replace dialog.
By default, typing a quotation mark in the Find box searches for both straight and curly quotes. Using the special codes ^39 and ^34 ensures the software strictly searches for straight quotes only, leaving your existing curly punctuation untouched.
Press the Ctrl + H shortcut on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
To replace straight single quotes (apostrophes), enter ^39 in the 'Find what' box.
In the 'Replace with' box, type a single quotation mark ('). Because AutoFormat is active, the program will convert it to a curly mark upon replacement. Click 'Find Next' and replace occurrences one by one.
To replace straight double quotes, enter ^34 in the 'Find what' box and type a double quotation mark (") in the 'Replace with' box. Proceed to replace them as needed.
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WPS Writer offers a highly compatible and intuitive platform for all your document formatting needs. You can easily manage quotation marks, utilize advanced find and replace features, and maintain professional typography completely for free.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open the document that contains the inconsistent punctuation.
- 2. Access Find and Replace: Navigate to the Home tab and click on the Find and Replace icon, or simply press Ctrl + H on your keyboard.
- 3. Execute the replacement codes: Use the ^39 or ^34 codes in the 'Find what' field and standard quotation marks in the 'Replace with' field to quickly correct your document's quotes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren't my quotation marks automatically curling when I type?
The 'Smart quotes' feature might be disabled in your settings. In your Word processor, go to Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type, and check the box for 'Straight quotes with smart quotes'.
Can I use 'Replace All' for straight apostrophes?
It is generally not recommended to use 'Replace All' for single apostrophes. The software might misinterpret the direction of the curly quote if it represents an omitted letter at the beginning of a word (e.g., 'tis). Replacing them one by one ensures better accuracy.
What do the codes ^39 and ^34 mean?
These are specific ASCII character codes used in the Find and Replace tool. The code ^39 specifically targets the straight single quotation mark (or straight apostrophe), while ^34 targets the straight double quotation mark.
